No War With Iran

Not one U.S. tax dollar should be going to a country with a per capita GDP of over $52,000 moreover the U.S. needs to start billing Israel for every missile it helps them shoot down. If Israel knew the U.S. wasn’t an unconditional ally that would save them from the consequences of whatever reckless or immoral actions they took then they’d probably try a little harder to solve their security issues diplomatically rather than with violence.

It was Israel that helped pull the U.S. into an unnecessary and destabilizing war with Iraq and now it’s trying to pull the U.S. into an unnecessary and destabilizing war with Iran and the only chance of stopping it is if U.S. voters, particularly those who voted for Trump, make it clear they want no more unnecessary wars and no more wasteful spending when the country is already so deep in debt and there is so much that needs to be fixed and invested in at home.

Iran isn’t the cause of the many problems facing the U.S. and it’s citizens and joining Israel in the bombing of Iran and attempting another regime change followed by another attempt at nation building certainly isn’t a solution. If you are a U.S. citizen who opposes U.S. involvement in Israeli wars and instead want to see the U.S. help deescalate the situation then contact your representatives and tell them you oppose this Israeli / Netanyahu attempt to pull the U.S. into another war.

Contact The White House

Contact your elected officials.

No Kings

With all mass protests there will inevitably be people participating that you don’t agree with however if you support what’s officially being protested I hope you consider joining and helping turn Saturday’s news into news about the peaceful anti-authoritarian protests taking place all over the U.S. on June 14th and turn Trump’s birthday party military parade into an embarrassing side note. Visit the No Kings website to find out what these planned peaceful protests are about and where you can join.

https://www.nokings.org

Free the Innocent

Since the shameless secretary and this shameless administration won’t do it the people need to demand and keep demanding that their representatives in the Congress and Senate work to ensure that the innocent people who were sent to CECOT are set free as soon as possible. If DOGE and the Trump administration want to cut government spending then tell them to start by not paying El Salvador to jail innocent people like Andry José Hernández Romero.

If you feel that this should not be happening in the U.S. or anywhere for that matter then please take a minute to contact the White House and your elected officials. Thank you for standing up and speaking out against this grave injustice.

End the Blockade

UNICEF 12 May 2025 Risk of famine for children across Gaza

“Families in Gaza are starving while the food they need is sitting at the border. We can’t get it to them because of the renewed conflict and the total ban on humanitarian aid imposed in early March,” said the UN World Food Programme’s Executive Director Cindy McCain.

This is a crime against humanity and Israel should be sanctioned and boycotted until it stops using food as a weapon. Israel has the right to defend itself but it does not have the right to starve children and massacre a mostly innocent population in an attempt to ethnically cleanse what’s left of Palestine.

Blatant Corruption

As our dishonest, corrupt, and incompetent president prepares to accept a 400 million dollar jet as a gift from Qatar I thought I’d post this talk given by Senator Chris Murphy regarding the blatant corruption of this administration over its first 100 days.

Judging by how furious and vocal all the drain the swamp MAGA warriors are about Nancy Pelosi’s insider trading and Hunter Biden’s corrupt dealings they are going to explode after seeing how Trump and family have taken corruption to a whole new level…

A May Day Mayday

After 100 days of poorly planned and incompetently executed policies from the full pardons of violent insurrectionists, to DOGE cuts, to ICE abductions, to “Liberation Day” and it’s ridiculously determined and rashly implemented tariffs America is having a Mayday moment. Those of us who sincerely care about the country and would like to see it continue working towards the ideals that until recently made it leader of the free world and a beacon of hope for many need to do all we can to show the world that these ideals are still alive and well and that we will not let them and whatever remains of U.S. credibility be destroyed by one severely flawed individual and his cult of personality.

I supported ending DEI policies but now key government positions are being filled with whoever can best flatter and brazenly lie in support of the dear leader who they along with the dear leader himself believes is on a mission from god. The government isn’t being staffed with the most capable and qualified it’s being staffed with the most flattering and loyal and not the most loyal to the country, the constitution, or a set of ideals like freedom of speech and the right to due process but loyal to an insecure man with an overwhelming fear of people ripping him off and laughing at him which he constantly projects onto the country. A country that by most measures was doing pretty good before he took office but not so good 100 days later.

Trump and his minions are removing as many checks on his power as they can and since the Democratic Party has proved itself basically useless and is largely responsible for what is happening we the people need to act. If the Democratic Party hadn’t pandered to woke radicals and allowed massive numbers of unvetted immigrants to pour over the border and allowed transgender people to compete against women and girls in sports and didn’t completely fail in its withdrawal from Afghanistan and hadn’t given Israel a blank check to massacre so many innocent people who had nothing to do with putting Hamas into power we could have avoided this. Instead the war Trump said he’d have settled in one day still rages on and the massacre which Trump said he’d have a ceasefire for before he took office continues.

As for the deportations I know throwing good people into a dungeon will persuade others not to enter the country illegally however this is utterly un-American as America is known for giving people freedom and not for unjustly taking it away. Those mistakenly caught up in a poorly planned drive to catch the worst of the worst must be freed. Maybe they don’t need to come back to the U.S. and at this point they might not even want to but they certainly can’t be locked in a dungeon for the crime of heeding the words written on the Statue of Liberty, seeking to escape violence and persecution, and trying to create a better life for themselves. Now is the time for Americans to drop their party affiliations, come together as independents, and tell ideologues and extremists on the left and right “Not in my country and not with my tax dollars.”.

Due Process

Hello, it’s been a while. I hope this post finds you in better shape than the U.S. credibility and moral standing in the world. Many of us knew a second Trump term would be bad but few of us expected it to get this bad this fast. Of all the “un-American” things Trump and the minions he has surrounded himself with have done over these past 77 days the most “un-American” of them all has to be disappearing people in the United States of America.

Regardless of immigration status the U.S. has no right to disappear someone into an El Salvadoran dungeon based on hearsay and tattoos which have nothing to do with gang membership or criminal history. Some of these people need to be brought back to the U.S. immediately so their case can be heard in a U.S. court and all of them need to be given due process before deciding if there are any among them that actually do deserve to spend the rest of their life in an awful prison.

If it turns out they aren’t violent criminals, which according to this 60 Minutes report appears to be the case for the vast majority of them, then they should at least be returned to their home country. If you agree and feel that this should not be happening in the U.S. or anywhere for that matter then please share this video and take a minute to contact the White House and your elected officials. Thank you for standing up and speaking out against this grave injustice.

Gay Venezuelan stylist sent to Salvadoran prison after a disgraced cop’s report

Assassination Attempt

Political violence is a far greater threat to democracy than a second Trump presidency. Trump needs to be beaten again at the ballot box and not by an assassin’s bullet or any other violent means. In addition to accidentally murdering someone in the crowd the would-be assassin has boosted Trump’s already good chances of being reelected because photos of a bloody and defiant Trump surrounded by secret service with Old Glory waving in the background are sure to gain him sympathy and support.

Speaking of secret service it’s a disgrace that the limited number of roofs in the area of the rally were not secured. I want to know how a 20 year-old with a rifle could outsmart the entire secret service and police detail assigned to protect Trump. It’s hard to distinguish blatant incompetence from deliberate ignorance and this overt ineptitude of the secret service is bound to lead some to believe this gaping hole in security was intentional. Regardless those who planned that security detail should be demoted or fired.

Biden was already in trouble and now he’s sure to fare even worse against a Trump who just narrowly dodged death and has the scars and photos to show for it. The best hope for the Democrats and anyone else that doesn’t want to see Trump reelected is to run an open and fair Democratic Primary before the convention because the excitement and free publicity around selecting a new generation of Democratic Party leaders will provide the best chance of keeping Trump out of the White House.

Akira Toriyama

On March 1st 2024 the great Akira Toriyama passed away while in the midst of multiple projects due to an acute subdural hematoma which is a type of bleeding near the brain. He was just 68 years old and is best known for creating the Dragon Ball series which was first published in 1984. Dragon Ball Z Kai Episodes 1-98, which originally aired between 2009 and 2011, is by far the best segment of the ongoing Dragon Ball series which has entertained and inspired generations of people around the world. I strongly recommend you watch these 98 episodes of greatness in the original Japanese audio with subtitles in your native language. Thank you Toriyama-sensei!

Never Again

Never again can we elect a president who blatantly puts themself above the constitution and country they were chosen to protect and serve and that has no qualms about incessantly lying in pursuit of personal gain. To the remaining Trump devotees: Wake up and free yourself from the cult. Wrong is wrong and unfit is unfit so dump Trump and choose a half-way decent Republican candidate. If the talent pool in your Grand Old Party is that shallow then just pick a name out of a phone book in a deep-red district and as long as they prove to be a decent or good person with average or above average cognitive skills and are willing to serve their country for 4 years then maybe I and other independent voters will vote for them as we aren’t looking forward to another 4 years of Biden either.

Durian Season and a Kingfisher

The durians are dropping and so is the price however the named varieties like Red Prawn are still too expensive so with only a few exceptions I’ve been eating the village variety durian aka “Kampung Durian” in Malaysia or “Durian Baan” in Thailand. The price of these has fallen to around 10MYR, 80THB, or 2.30USD a kg which is considered cheap in Malaysia and is about as low of a price you will find in the city. Just be sure to check carefully for any holes otherwise you might find an unwanted guest in your durian.

Paederus dermatitis – Rove Beetle Rash

Some species of rove beetle have a potent toxin called pederin in their hemolymph, which is like insect blood, and although these ant-like beetles don’t bite or sting if you squeeze one or even wipe one off of your face or neck, perhaps while you’re asleep, you could end up with an extremely itchy and painful rash. These insects are common in Penang especially in high rise buildings. The best thing you can do is place screens on your windows because if you don’t they will be attracted to the light and fly into your home. On the bright side pederin is being researched for its potential to slow the growth of cancerous tumors which just goes to show you how much we still have to learn from all the insects, plants, and other life we are causing to go extinct before we have a chance to research it. Let’s all do a better job at wasting less and conserving more in hopes of slowing down this sixth mass extinction that we are causing.

The Creek Next to My House

Last night I had a dream/nightmare that my little house got washed away in a flood and it seemed as real as it gets. In my dream I opened my front door to find that my house with me in it was floating in the middle of a rapidly flowing river. I was thinking that I had to get out fast because it would be bad if the house with me in it smashed into anything at that speed. Unfortunately I was around 50 meters away from the river bank. I was about to throw my computer and passport into a plastic bag and then into a backpack and make a swim for it. Fortunately at that time I woke up and realized it was a dream but it had been raining heavily and the creek next to my house was flooded.

Bipartisan Incompetence

If there was truly no international solution to secure Afghanistan and keep it out of the hands of religious extremists and as a result the U.S. felt it was best to withdraw then a half-competent administration could have at least negotiated and planned for a peaceful and non-dramatic withdrawal which would have at least kept the jail doors locked and the capital secure until all those desperately in need of evacuation were safely screened and flown out of the country. If a formal inquiry into this bipartisan incompetence isn’t conducted and nobody loses their job over this international tragedy and national disgrace it will be an injustice to the country and all those who served in Afghanistan including all those who died in the rush to get out and all those who will die because they were unable to get out.

I agree that the buck stops with Biden but just remember Trump with broad Republican support was the one that failed to negotiate a proper deal and instead gave the Taliban what they wanted like prisoner releases and an exit date while getting virtually nothing in return like a guarantee that they wouldn’t try taking over the country until after the U.S. had left and perhaps some basic human rights assurances that proved the Taliban weren’t the same barbarians who ruled the country before the U.S. and its close allies overthrew them. Maybe if Trump hadn’t been so “America First” he could have negotiated a security agreement with other countries that also have an interest in not seeing Afghanistan descend into chaos that would have at least kept it from becoming the next terrorist safe haven and human rights nightmare.

Update May 2022

Taliban Order All Afghan Women to Wear Burqa

Pandemic Update

The vaccine rollout has been slow and we’re still in the peak of the pandemic here in Thailand. For the most part I’m able to avoid people and feel safe where I’m at but I do wonder when I’ll be able to get vaccinated. Not only for my own personal safety but also so I don’t go around infecting others who could become seriously ill or even die like the millions of people who already have. The U.S. has quite the surplus of vaccines so why not send some to Thailand with a portion of them earmarked for U.S. citizens. Many of us would even be happy to pay for it ourselves. Hopefully Malaysia will open the borders to vaccinated travelers later this year like Thailand has just started doing in Phuket and when that happens I will hopefully have been vaccinated. As for now I have no problem waiting another few months while others at greater risk receive theirs first.

P.S. I caught a Tokay gecko and removed it from my kitchen. This is my third Tokay gecko capture and no it isn’t the one that was featured in my video. That one is still there and is allowed to stay because it’s on the other side of the creek and is not making a mess in my kitchen.

Quarantine + Quarantine

I along with every other foreigner on an expired social visit pass had to leave Malaysia by April 21st and since the land and sea borders were closed I had to fly for the first time in over five years. After preparing the necessary documents which included Covid health insurance, an alternative state quarantine hotel booking, and a negative PCR test within 72 hours of flight I went back to Thailand which required a 10 day quarantine in a Bangkok hotel which cost me over $100 a night, ouch. I’ve never even spent close to $100 on a room for one night. I’ve spent $100 for a week and I have even spent $100 for an entire month but I have never spent it for one night let alone ten of them in a row. However they did provide two nice custom prepared meals every day and I did have a large room with a balcony and a view of the city.

After finishing my 10 day quarantine I was able to leave the hotel room and return to my place in the rural south. However upon my return I learned that since I was coming from Bangkok I needed to quarantine for an additional 14 days. Fortunately I can do this second quarantine at home. I haven’t been back in the 15 months since the pandemic began and there was some flooding last December which washed away the front lawn along with the concrete footbridge that I used to enter and exit the property but after a weekend of house cleaning and yard-work it is now habitable despite the poor data reception. I am now looking forward to being home alone at the edge of a tropical mountain forest and eventually being able to return to a few of my favorite local orchards, markets, and scenic spots.